Department of the Interior - Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington Recreation and Visitor Services | L21AS00260

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this funding opportunity?

This is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Oregon/Washington, focused on Recreation and Visitor Services work on BLM-managed public lands in Oregon and Washington. The Funding Opportunity Number is L21AS00260 and the CFDA number is 15.225.

What type of award is being offered?

The award is offered as a cooperative agreement, not a traditional grant. That means applicants should expect substantial involvement from BLM in areas like planning, coordination, and/or project execution rather than a hands-off relationship.

What is the program trying to fund?

The opportunity supports recreation and visitor service work that helps the public access, understand, and safely enjoy BLM public lands in Oregon and Washington. It is aimed at strengthening on-the-ground visitor services and recreation management and delivering clear public-benefit outcomes tied to recreation and visitor use.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $250,000 per award.

When was the opportunity created and when did it close?

The opportunity was created on February 8, 2021, and the original application closing date listed for this round was June 8, 2021.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to public entities and nonprofit/education partners. Eligible applicants include:

• State governments
• County governments
• City or township governments
• Special district governments
• Independent school districts
• Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
• Private institutions of higher education
• Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
• Other tribal organizations
• Public/Indian housing authorities
• Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education)
• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education)

Are individuals eligible to apply?

No. Individuals are explicitly ineligible under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?

No. For-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible under this NOFO.

If my organization is ineligible, can we still participate?

Under this NOFO, the applicant must be an eligible entity. If your organization is not eligible (for example, an individual or a for-profit business), participation would generally need to occur through partnership or collaboration with an eligible applicant entity.

What geographic area does this opportunity cover?

This opportunity supports work on BLM-managed public lands in Oregon and Washington (BLM Oregon/Washington).

Does this program fund internship positions or youth conservation crews?

No. A key restriction is that this NOFO does not support entities hiring interns or crews under this program.

Why are interns and crews not allowed under this NOFO?

The NOFO explains that, from BLM's perspective, the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 USC, Chapter 37, Subchapter II) is the only authority that allows BLM to "hire" interns. Because of that, internship and youth crew-style projects need to be pursued through a different, specifically authorized funding channel rather than through this recreation and visitor services opportunity.

Where should youth/intern or crew-based projects be submitted instead?

Even eligible Youth Conservation Corps groups are directed to apply for youth/intern or crew-based projects under NOFO 15.243, titled "BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands," rather than through this opportunity (L21AS00260 / CFDA 15.225).

Can a proposal include work that would normally be done by interns or crews?

Proposals should be designed to improve recreation and visitor services without relying on internship hiring or conservation crews funded through this award. If the project concept depends on interns or crew hiring, it would likely need to be pursued under the separate youth/crew-focused NOFO identified in the notice.

What should applicants expect because this is a cooperative agreement?

Applicants should plan for substantial involvement from BLM during planning, coordination, and/or execution. The project should be structured as a collaborative effort with BLM rather than a project that the recipient carries out independently with minimal federal engagement.

What kinds of applicants is this opportunity best suited for?

This opportunity is best suited for eligible governments, tribes, schools, universities, and nonprofit organizations proposing collaborative recreation and visitor service projects with BLM in Oregon and Washington, with clear public-benefit outcomes, budgets up to $250,000, and project designs that align with BLM involvement under a cooperative agreement while avoiding intern/crew hiring.

What are the key screening questions to decide if we should apply?

Based on the information provided, key screening questions include:

• Is the applicant an eligible public entity, tribe, school/university, or nonprofit (and not an individual or for-profit)?
• Is the project focused on recreation and visitor services on BLM-managed public lands in Oregon or Washington?
• Can the project be completed with a budget at or below $250,000?
• Is the project designed for collaboration with substantial BLM involvement (cooperative agreement model)?
• Does the project avoid hiring interns or crews under this funding (and, if youth/crew hiring is needed, is it instead directed to NOFO 15.243)?